The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-11-19
A Case Under tho ncEa.ry Land Grab.
tNew orlean. Picayune.l

"A NASe O4OeI tuc ACGueIJ Ao1W QI0Us
tNew Orleans Picsyuno.l
There came up for argument before
the Secretary of the Interior on Mon
day last case which shows clearly
the enormity of the land contract by
which John McEnery was to receive
oue-half of the lands recovered TO the
State Of Louisiana under the swamp
and overhowed land grant to the State
by tho Federal Governmeot In 1649. d
We have on many occasions demon-
strated the wrongs to the State In
hicted under this contract even under
any fair Interpretation Of Its Language.
As It was being executed for years,
until exposed by the Picayune, 1t
was used 40 AN instrument to plumber
the lsvee and drainage fund Of many
thousands of dollars.
Our readers will remember that the
State Land O61ce was run for years In
the interest Of the contractor, and the
illegal warrants issued to him were
allowed by the register to be put upon
the first lands belonging to the 0tate.
For having 10000 acres Of sea marsh
listed to the State by the United States
Government, which sea marsh was
worth 12!c per acre, there would be
issued to John McEnsry land scrip or
warrants for 5000 acres, aud the State
would allow this scrip to be placed
upon Its highest priced lands, Of which
75c was tho minimum rate. Thus. for
having turned over to the State IL, 900
acres of marsh worth $3.50, John Nc!
Enery received warrants Tor 5000 acres
of land worth $375O.
This manner OF construing and exc.
cutting contract bad enough under
any Interpretation went on for yeau,
and was only suppressed when public
sentiment became aroused. Het1f+
Among the lands OF much value
on which John McEnery had located
this illegal scrip or sold to Others for
such location, were large tracts covered
by private grants, but which grants
had not as yet been finally confirmed
by the United States, or which were
In litigation of some sort. One OF these
tracts was the McDonogh tract Just
above the city OF New Orleans aud
located In the parish of St. John, At
cension aud Livingston, and which
was bequeathed by the will Of that
philanthropist to the city Of New Or
leans aud Baltimore for the free educa.
tion of their poor youth. a
McDonogh left this large piece of
property, covering $1,000 acres and
worth something like $2O0, 900, for edu-
cational purposes In this city. The
State of Louisiana set up claim 10 1t
afterwards as alternate legatee, but 1t
was decided by the Supreme Court that
the city had a prior right and that she
had accepted the donation.
After q lapse OF more than third
OF century John McEuery instituted.
proceedings under bis Land Grab con-
tract to deprive the children of this
city of the benefits OF this donation. II
he could have 1t declared swamp aud
overfiowed land belonging to the Gen.
eral Government In 1S49, under his
contract he would get one-half the
land. It was worth large sum to him
to dispoil this property, set aside by it's
former owner for the benefit of the
youth Of New Orleans. Such has been
the tone Of public sentiment, however,
that McEnery has recently filed a re.
nunciation of his claims for one-half
this land and is apparently working
for the public benefit.
This suit is one of the very worst
phases of this bad contract, and stands
alongside the effort to grab the ground
on which the battle of New Orleans
was fought, and which has been for
ever dedicated as sacred spot.
1t may be stated also that on many
of these disputed tracts the Register OF
the State Land Office for years allowed
the placing Of McEnery scrip, though
the State had no title whatever, and
might never have any. 1t is to be
supposed, therefore, that on this Me-
Donogh tract, also, this scfp has been
placed, SO that ii II should be declared
State property the public treasury
would get nothing from the fleciainn